The book begins in the present day where Matt is feeling like he’s stuck in a slump about life itself. He goes on to analyze his surroundings and where he fits in. As Matt is overanalyzing his life, his friend Scott interrupts his train of thought and invites him to go get pizza. Scott is not only his friend but his boss too. Along the way, Scott suggests that Matt should check out this woman who works at the pizza shop and as a courtesy it will count as a business expense in hopes that this will take Matt out of the darkness he’s been in. 

On their way to lunch, they decide to take the subway to the pizza shop and as they’re waiting, Matt notices a woman and he is completely drawn to her. This woman steps off the platform and into the train and when she turns around, her and Matt lock eyes and he notices it’s a familiar face which caused him to go down memory lane. As he tried to approach her before the doors closed, it was too late and she was gone in a blink of an eye.

The woman that he saw is Grace, they met back in college which took place fifteen years ago at New York University. She holds a very special place in Matt’s heart because he always felt like she was the one who got away. In that split second, Matt wished he would have been quicker on his feet. He wondered what her life was like after the years passed. 

In Grace’s point of view, she felt the same way of wishing she had noticed him prior to her entering the train. If only, she had a few more seconds to at least say hello. You definitely could tell that there is still chemistry between them. 

After their encounter, Matt arrives back at work and tries to search her name up on the internet but unfortunately he could not find any useful information. He made many attempts with no avail. 

Matt could not stop thinking about Grace, he thought about her on a daily basis and even went to the extremes of searching for her at their old hangout spots and also riding the train everyday after work for a whole month. Thankfully, Scott knew about these online ads on Craigslist by the name of “Missed Connections”. On these ads, anyone can post about their experience with someone in public that they would like to get in contact with to form a connection. 

As insane as it sounded Matt was thinking about giving it a try but he wondered deep down was she married? Does she have kids? Would he be intruding? Was the spark still there on her end? 

This book takes you through the ups and downs of each character’s lives and what their future holds. 

I highly recommend this book because it’s an attention grabber and it gives you hope for second chance love. It will definitely tug on your heart strings and make you want more. 

Did Matt write the Missed Connections Ad? Read “Before We Were Strangers” to find out.

These conferences lasted the entire school day. Many students gathered at the library for this informative seminar. 

The seminar consisted of three different student groups, on hand to receive helpful tips. Most of the speakers talked about different warning signs to look for in a relationship that can lead to severe violence. 

AISD social worker, Victor Perales was one of the first speakers. He discussed a healthy relationship versus an unhealthy relationship and shared some major red flags to watch out for. He also showed students educational videos about how to not confuse love with abuse. 

“If a person is abusive, they’re going to show you, Perales said. “There’s no way they will be able to hold it back.”

Perales also talked about how if you stay with someone even after they abuse you, the abuser believes they now have a mental hold on you and that will give them power to control you. 

Abuse can come in many forms: physical, mental, sexual and even emotional. 

“The red flags creep up slowly and most times we’re so blinded by them because we’re in love,” Perales said. 

The next speaker was Amy Dossett – she works with Safe Haven and presents at schools throughout Tarrant County about teen dating violence and healthy relationships. In her presentation, she talked about what teens can do when we have a friend in an unhealthy relationship. 

“Tell your friend that they don’t deserve to be abused because most of the time your friend is hearing from the abusive partner that everything is your friend’s fault.” Dossett said. 

A few tips Amy gave the students was “don’t tell your friend what to do” because your friend has to take control for themselves, they have to be ready to make those decisions. Another tip she gave was help them make a safety plan because if they’re not safe, it could lead to dangerous situations. 

“There’s a lot of different things you can do to help a friend like encourage them to talk to a social worker or counselor on campus or go to (loveisrespect.org) which has a text line you could communicate with,” Dossett said. 

The third speaker was another member of Safe Haven and her name is Samantha Sells, she presents at schools as well and informs students about the qualities of a healthy relationship and an unhealthy relationship. She did a few activities with the students to see if they knew the difference between the two types of relationships.

“Isolating your partner from family and friends could become abusive because it is used as a control tactic,” Sells said

A few of her activities included each group of students to build a puzzle that would reveal major tips to help someone that is in an abusive relationship and determine whether a certain statement described a healthy relationship or unhealthy relationship.

“It’s important to believe someone if they confide in you about their relationship and it’s important to report to a trusted adult if someone you know is in an abusive relationship,” Sells said.

The last speaker is named Diana Junes and she was referred as a guest speaker by the organization LoveisRespect.com. In her presentation, she spoke about her personal experience growing up and some red flags to look for in relationships.

“I saw so many red flags in people that I was in a relationship with but I chose to ignore them,” Junes said.

Diana began to talk more in depth about her time growing up and how she found herself in an unhealthy relationship. She came to the seminar to encourage students to never stay in an abusive relationship no matter what.

“I have been single for two years and I’ve just been focusing on myself and taking my feminine power back,” Junes said.

After all the presentations were over, students learn that there is always someone that will be here to help, if you or a friend are experiencing abuse in a relationship.

This book is a beautiful tragedy about how a young teen has to make a decision between life and death. The story begins with Mia and her family experiencing a snow day. While they’re eating breakfast, they talk about Mia’s boyfriend Adam’s band “Shooting Star.” 

 In the middle of their breakfast, the sun comes out of the clouds and shines through the kitchen window. 

 Mia and her family decided since school was canceled it would be a good idea to visit their family friend named Henry – they get on the road and drive towards Henry’s house. On their way, they go down this curvy road – the streets were slippery, which caused another car to crash into them and flip their car over. 

After the accident, Mia wakes up to notice that she’s at the site of the crash. She tries to call out for help but no one responds. Soon, Mia realizes that she’s not in her physical body because she witnesses EMT’s pulling her body out of the car. As she has this out of body experience, Mia overhears that her mother died on the scene. Her father, brother, and her are being transported to the hospital immediately. 

This book is very emotional because throughout the entire story Mia has to make a decision about if she wants to stay alive or pass on. 

It’s a very good book – I cried reading it because it takes you on a real emotional rollercoaster. 

My favorite part of the book was when her grandpa talks to her in the hospital while she’s in a coma, but she still hears him because she’s still going through her out of body experience.    This encounter was very emotional to read because he told her that if she wants to stay then she needs to fight for her life – but if she wants to go then he wants her to know it’s okay and he loves her very much. 

This book book of course began as a movie. The “If I Stay” film was released in 2014 and it is still very moving. I’ve seen the movie many times over the years and it’s still the most impactful movies I’ve ever watched. 

 I definitely recommend reading the book and watching the movie. They both will have you fighting back tears .

Gayle Forman created a sequel to “If I Stay” and it’s called “Where She Went.”

 I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but this book is about the decision Mia made and where did her decision ultimately takes her. 

Did she choose to stay or did she decide to go? Read “If I Stay” and “Where She Went” to find out her fate. 

Students can help save lives by donating blood. Blood donations are very important because the blood people donate could be used in hospitals and will assist patients in their recovery process. In addition, the donations could also be utilized to help burn victims, heart surgeries, and even organ transplant patients. 

It’s a 45 minute process to donate blood – you simply complete a questionnaire and go through a screening process to determine if you’re healthy or not. For example, if a person has an iron deficiency or medical condition that can affect their blood supply, they probably would not be an ideal candidate to donate. 

If someone is deemed a candidate to donate, they can start the process of donating by signing up at a local blood drive which is usually held at schools or clinics. 

Students should donate blood to help those in need in case of an emergency. For instance, If a loved one were to get in a critical accident or face a life threatening situation, a donor’s blood can save their life just by having the same blood type. 

Since there is a low blood supply, donating blood could help many people get the blood that is needed for their medical condition. Therefore, it is encouraged to donate blood when the chance arises because of the high demand and need for assistance to those who need it.

Not only is a blood drive helping those in need but the donor is able to get a treat prior to their donation and in some cases, students can get credit by receiving a graduation cord if they donate twice at a school sponsored blood drive.  

This is especially troubling when it comes to being in a relationship.

Young Individuals usually get involved with another person because our young brains believe that if we have someone it’s better than being alone. Feeling lonely is a depressing feeling that makes teens want to find someone – anyone to give them attention. This situation can lead to choosing the wrong person.

Sometimes we tend to ignore the red flags just because we are fearful of being alone. Red flags are a sign of an individual who you should be cautious of.

Because so many teenagers experience unhealthy relationships, there are professionals who want to help. Insert Julia Berrones, a Youth Educator at Dallas’ Hope Cottage – a family services center.

“If they have a history of any abuse or cheating, that is a red flag,” Berrones shares. “Also if they isolate their partner from their friends -that is another red flag.”

Many people go searching for attention in all the wrong places, for example: an underage house party where there are factors that impair and influence young people. In today’s youth, we tend to make childish decisions that can forever alter one’s life.

Young teens can be frustrating because choosing to enter a relationship with the wrong person can lead to many issues growing up. For example, if someone of a particular preference breaks your heart, you can have a biased opinion about that particular preference because of the traumatic experience.

Many young individuals believe that their first love is their “true love” because everything seems so amazing that they feel hopeful for their future with this person. It can start as early as middle school but can be most critical when you enter your freshman year of high school because it catapults your emotions of wanting to belong to someone.

“It’s not common for a relationship to last too long when it comes to high school sweethearts,” Berrones said.

In this new environment where it feels like a whole new world which makes believe you can make decisions like choosing who you would like to spend time with and get to know someone on a deeper level.

“The key is to have fun, but also be aware of the warning signs,” Berrones says. “Never let your guard down too soon.”

Depending on who you choose and if the feelings are mutual it can lead to a fulfilling relationship or on the other hand you can end up in an abusive relationship either it be emotional, physical, or both that can leave you scared and overwhelmed.

“Students should reach out for help if they find themselves in an abusive relationship,” Berrones adds. “It can be scary or embarrassing, especially if you have a lot of pride. You may not want people to know you are in an abusive relationship, but reaching out for help would be my best suggestion.”

Young people should remember that no one is entitled to someone of such a young age.

A great way we can help out young individuals is encourage them to seek help or talk to a trusted adult. There are plenty of resources that can be provided to help teens navigate through difficult relationships.

A great resource that is available to Lamar Students is two social workers that work on campus. Their names are Mrs. Ward and Mrs. Jurgens

Over the past few months of school there has been a dedicated staff gathering great memories to incorporate into the yearbook. All the countless hours that the yearbook staff has dedicated will soon be placed in our hands. 

The Valhalla Staff has many new faces and they are excited to show students all the beautiful memories they have captured at sporting events, dances, and even pep rallies.  

“We have new photographers this year, so I’m excited to see all the photos that have been captured,” returning yearbook staff member Journey Bortzfield said. 

Lamar students will be able to cherish every moment by flipping through the pages to recall the moments in time which are and will forever be considered priceless memories.

There’s so much excitement in waiting for the yearbook reveal – it’s definitely something to look forward to. The anticipation of waiting is like when parents would tell their kids that they had a surprise and the kids just couldn’t hold their excitement of wanting to know at that very moment what the surprise was but they had to wait. That’s the same exact feeling that is in the air to know what the yearbook will look like and who will be featured in those pages. 

The reveal will happen after Spring Break. Only the yearbook staff knows what all the book will include, but the entire campus is excited. 

“I’m very excited for the reveal, we’ve been working so hard every single day,” Senior Aaron Ramos said.

This summit will include community leaders, district leaders, and The Arlington Chamber of Commerce who will address some concerns about life issues that students will encounter later on in life. Another topic of this event will be emotional issues – how to handle adversity and how to still succeed. This information can guide them to overcome challenges.

“We want our students to get exposure to some of our community leaders, as well as an opportunity to gain insight on what their path has been to their point of success in their life,” Lamar Counselor Clarissa Savoy said.

There will be multiple topics that will include “He ain’t heavy, he is my brother” which will talk about brotherhood and responsible decision making. The next topic is “Identity” – facing adversity and overcoming challenges.

Another topic is called “You can’t get in trouble for being mad,” it will talk about how you won’t get in trouble for being mad but instead how you could manage your actions when you’re angry. This topic is very important because it will cover men’s mental health, self-esteem, and emotional regulation.

One last topic is “Read the room”. This topic will cover social and self awareness. The topic will go in depth about being careful of who is in your “circle” of friends/peers.

“Sometimes we need to be aware of who we are influenced by and if they’re really a good person to hang around,” Savoy said.

Many will face adversity or some type of challenge throughout their life. Most people have a hard time working throughout their problems but this summit will help guide them through their tough issues.

This leadership summit is not only providing an outlet of opportunity but it also deals with some real topics a person can face. These challenges can impact many students and their way of thinking.

The event is open to all students but they do have to register – you can scan the QR code provided in this story. This will help staff keep count and see how many students they will accommodate. 

“We want to make an impact on those students who would like to better themselves through this summit,” Savoy said.

Wednesday served as the first run through of our program.

Today’s trip went really well and was much like a coaching visit. It was an opportunity for different people to come in and just observe classes, both AVID and non-AVID. According to Lamar English teacher Sarah Chrystie – these individuals met with students and teachers to get input on how AVID is functioning at Lamar.

Throughout the school day, many Lamar educators showed their support for the AVID program.

“AVID supports students by helping them get prepared for post-high school.”

– Stephanie Jurgens 

“Important for note-taking, support, and overall success.” 

– Scott Crawford 

“Helps with student success.”

– Cheyenne Benningfield. 

“Helps provide support for all students to experience rigorous curriculums.”

– Jennifer Payne 

“Prepares students for college and progress their skills.” 

– Charie Vaughn 

]]> http://lamarscroll.com/yearbooks-will-never-go-out-of-style Wed, 01 Nov 2023 19:10:04 +0000 http://lamarscroll.com/?p=4112 After the pandemic, capturing memories is more important than ever. A yearbook is a timeless treasure for high school students. 

A yearbook is a valuable item to own, it allows a student to have cherished memories they once experienced in high school.

Many students cherish the moments the yearbook captures. A good way to be able to hold on to those memories and look back is by ordering a yearbook. The money spent on a yearbook will seem like pennies in the future because those memories will be well worth it.

The memories that the students can remember are events like Homecoming, sports games, and prom. The yearbook plays an important role in the high school experience. In the yearbook, it is not only about your class picture but you can be featured in one of the photographs at a school event – Which makes the yearbook more memorable.

Another way a yearbook could be beneficial to a student is by allowing him or her to find old classmates and favorite teachers. As you know, there are those friends or special staff members that instilled great experiences or lessons.

It is unfortunate that not all high schools partake in creating a yearbook due to the time and money it takes to put together. Those students will not have the high school memories to look back on. Those memories will be lost in the transition of time.

The schools who do decide to dedicate the time and money to create a yearbook are doing an incredible gift for their fellow students and staff. The times captured in the yearbook will be worth more than gold.

Lamar High School is one of the fortunate schools to have an amazing yearbook staff that will put every ounce of effort to capture the best memories into the yearbook. Students and staff will be able to enjoy the memories now and forever.

Lana had an amazing show and the crowd was so pumped up to see her perform live. The whole environment was electric and comforting. 

The concert had a rough start due to a heavy thunderstorm but not even the rain can keep fans away from seeing her live. She was very interactive with the audience and also cared about their safety. 

She started the concert off with a well known song which had the crowd cheering and singing along. Lana’s energy made everyone feel welcomed and loved as she kept thanking the crowd for being there and all their support towards her. 

Lana even took a moment to address the standing room only crowd near the stage by taking items that the fans brought her. In particular, the famous red heart shaped sunglasses that she references in a few of her songs for example, one of them is called “Diet Mountain Dew”. It was a special moment for a fan when Lana took their glasses and tried them on. She eventually gave the glasses back but it was still an experience of a lifetime. 

The music that she sang came from various albums that she created. Hearing her live was truly a life-altering experience. It felt like the crowd was floating on clouds and hung onto every word she sang. 

Everyone had an amazing time no matter the circumstances. Lana is a very spectacular artist and her voice is one of a kind. She is an incredible and caring human being. 

This concert exceeded my expectations and went beyond anyone’s beliefs. It was truly a blessing to see her sing all the fan’s favorite songs. She unfortunately wasn’t able to sing the last two songs due to another storm coming in. Fans were upset but understood her concern for everyone to make it home safely. 

In the end, she made a loving speech towards her fans and thanked them for everything they have done for her. I would highly recommend seeing her in concert.